Game device



Jan. 9, 1962 co uccl 3,016,242

GAME DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1959 Y M H-W AITTOANEZ' United States PatentOfilice 3,016,242 GAME DEVICE A Frank F. Colucci, 1936 S. Norwood St,

' Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Nov. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 852,343 Claims. (Cl.273-102) The present invention relates to a game device, and moreparticularly to a device for use in playing a novel ball game.

There are many ball games in which a ball is bounced off "a fiat wall orthe like by being either thrown or hit against the wall. Such games areplayed both by professionals and amateurs. In most of such games, theobject is to bounce the ball off of the wall in such a manner that theball cannot be caught or hit by an opposing player. The use of a fiatwall in such games has the disadvantage that the fiat wall does notprovide the player on offense, who is throwing or hitting the ballagainst the wall, with much control over the direction that the ballwill bounce away from the wall so as to be able to direct the ball awayfrom the player or players on defense. Thus, the player on offense canrely on only either the force he uses to throw the ball against the wallor possibly spinning the ball to attempt to direct the ball away from adefensive player.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ball gamedevice.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ballgame device for use in a game in which a ball is bounced off of thedevice.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel ballgame device for use in a game in which a ball is thrown against thedevice, and which permits control over the direction that the ball willbounce from the device.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. For the purpose-of illustratingthe invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presentlypreferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is notlimited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the ball game device of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a back elevational view of the ball game device of thepresent invention.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the ball game device of the presentinvention.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a modification of the ball gamedevice of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the modification of the ball game deviceof the present invention.

Referring initially to FIGURES l and 2, the ball game device of thepresent invention is generally designated as 10.

Game device comprises a convex plate 12, which as shown is a quarter ofa sphere. The convex plate 12 is supported on a base 14 by three uprightlegs 16, 18, and 20.

The base 14 has a semi-circular horizontal plate 22, and an upright rim24 extending around the convex and straight sides of the plate 22. Thelegs 16, '18, and extend between the rim 24 of the base 14 and thebottom edge of the convex plate 12. The legs 18 and 20 are along thestraight side of the base plate 22 and the leg 16 is intermediate theends of the con-vex side of the base 14.

The convex plate 12 is provided With a flange 26 secured along the backedge of the convex plate 12. Flange 26 has a keyhole shaped slot 28therethrough at the uppermost point of the flange 26.

The ball game device 10 of the present invention is used as follows:

The ball game device 10 is mounted at one. end of a playing field orcourt, which may be either indoors or outdoors. The playing device 10may be mounted at the end of the field or court by seating the base 14on the ground or floor. The ball game device 10 may .b'e'firmly securedon the'ground or floor by bolts extending through the bottom plate 22 ofthe base 14, or by placing weights on the bottom plate 22 of the base14. If the playing field or courthas a wall at the one end, the ballgame device 10 of the present invention may be mounted on the wall byplacing the keyhole slot 28 over a hook or nail secured to the wall.With the ball game device 10 mounted at the end of the field or court,the convex plate 12 faces toward the playing field or court.

The player or players on the defensive place himself or themselves inthe playing field or court in front of the ball game device 10. Theplayer on offense then throws a ball against the convex plate 12 oftheball game device 10 so as to bounce the ball off of the convex plate 12into the playing field or court.

If the ball which is bounced off of the convex plate 12 is caught by aplayer on defense before the ball hits the ground, the player on offenseis out. If the player on defense does not catch the ball, the player onthe offense scores a point. Thus, the player on offense attempts to aimthe ball so that it will bounce in a direction away from any player orplayers on the defense. The convex shape of the plate 12 permits theplayer on the offense to aim the ball in a desired direction. Thus, theplayer on the ofiense can throw the ball against a predetermined pointon the surface of the convex plate 12 so that the ball will bounce awayfrom the game device 10 in a desired direction, and the player orplayers on defense are not aware of the direction that the ball willbounce until after the ball leaves the convex plate 12. This permits theplayer on offense to use his skill in aiming the ball at a desired pointon the surface of the convex plate 12, and permits the player on defenseto use his skill in determining where the ball will bounce from theconvex plate -12.

A player on offense continues to throw the ball against the convex plate12 of the game device 10 until he is put out by a player on defensecatching the ball. When all of the players on the offense are put out,the teams change sides and the players previously on the defense taketurns throwing the ball against the convex plate 12 of the game device10. In playing the ball game with the game device 10 of the presentinvention, the players may make up their own rules for playing the game.For example, if'a player misses the convex plate 12 when he throws theball against the plate 12, the player may be out. Also, the players mayprovide boundaries within which the ball must stay after it bounce-sfrom the convex plate 12.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, a modification of the ball game device ofthe present invention is generally designated as 30.

Ball game device 30 comprises a convex plate 32 which has ahemispherical outer surface. The convex plate 32 is supported on fourlegs 34 which extend vertically upwardly from a base 36. The legs 34 areuniformly spaced around the bottom of the convex plate 32. The convexplate 32 may be provided with an indicia line 38' which extends acrossthe top of the convex plate 32 and divides the convex plate 32 into twoequal segments.

In the use of theball game device 30 of the present invention, the ballgame device 30 is mounted along the common end of two adjacent playingfields or courts. The ball game device 30 is positioned so that onesegment of the convex plate 32 faces toward one of the playing fields orcourts and the other segment of the convex plate 32 Patented Jan. 9,196-2 faces the other playing field or court. Thus, two separate ballgames may be played in the playing fields or courts with each game beingplayed on one-half of the ball 'game device 30.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms Withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential at tributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

l. A ball game comprising a convex plate which is substantially aquarter of a sphere, a base, and a plurality of spaced upright legsdepending from said plate and supporting said plate on said base, saidplate being supported above said base solely by said legs in a positionwherein the convex surface on said plate faces upwardly and out- Wardlyfrom said legs so that a ball can be bounced olf said convex surface,said legs being spaced from each other and structurally interrelatedwith said convex plate so that there is a substantial lack of reboundstructure above and below said convex plate.

2. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of spacedupright legs includes a pair of legs along a flat side of said plate anda third leg spaced substantially ninety degrees from each of said pairof legs.

3. A game as set forth in claim 2 including a second convex plate beingsubstantially a quarter of a sphere, said convex plates being positionedback to back thereby forming a hemisphere, a fourth leg depending fromsaid second convex plate, said fourth leg being opposite to said thirdleg and spaced ninety degrees from said pair of legs.

4. A ball game device in accordance with claim 2 in which the baseincludes a semi-circular fiat bottom plate and a rim extending uprightfrom the edge of the bottom plate, and said three legs support saidconvex plate on said rim.

5. A ball game device in accordance with claim 4 including a flangesecured to the back edge of the convex plate, and a hole in said flangeby which the game device can be hung from a wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,214,486 Snyder Sept. 10, 1940 2,436,816 Meyer Mar. 2, 1948 2,567,557Fedrowich Sept. 11, 1951 2,812,946 Hughes Nov. 12, 1957 2,899,204 RatayAug. 11, 1959

